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East Bay Residents Proclaim, "Rosa Was Right!"

Gamaliel affiliate Genesis held a public meeting June 9 on the need for youth bus passes in Oakland area

This story by Jose Ricardo G. Bondoc is reposted with permission from SFNewsfeed

PLEASANTON, CA (6/9)- Genesis, a regional coalition made up of
congregations and other institutions united for issues of social
justice, convened a public meeting at St. Claire's Episcopal Church in
Pleasanton calling for "Just Transit, Just Education." Faith and
community leaders from all over the Bay Area gathered with over 250
people from throughout the East Bay.

"All across Alameda County, students are required to pay to ride public
transit to school," said Marcia Lovelace from the First Congregational
Church of Oakland, part of the Genesis Coalition. "This busts the
notion that public education is fair and free with opportunity for all,
when some children cannot access it because they lack bus fare. We will
join together to say 'Rosa Was Right'-- that transportation can unlock
countless opportunities.

Reverend Kurt Kuhwald of Oakland stated, "This is important to bringing
word out to the community. Just because a few hills separate us and
Oakland, we need to see that we are one community. We need to get those
links established and communities united."

Dennis Fagaly of Oakland stated,"Transportation equity is vital to keep
our area safe, free and just. I know there are neighborhoods where 80
percent of the people are transit-dependent and bus lines have been
cut. There's one fellow I know, who had been looking for months and
months for a job, but had to turn down a job because the job was at
night and there was no night bus service."

Genesis is using this event to get the word out to Tri-Valley residents
about issues of public transit (including paratransit) as a civil
rights issue. In November 2014, there will be a transportation measure
of which $15 million will be dedicated to bus passes for youth, as well
as supplement and enhance transportation for seniors and those with
disabilities.

"In Pleasanton, we understand the importance of good education. We have
some of the best schools in the Bay Area, "remarked The Reverend Ron
Culmer, Rector of St. Claire's of Pleasanton. "What a travesty it would
be to know that some children in our county could not attain good
education because of the lack of a bus pass..."

This sentiment was echoed by Reverend Joyce Parray Moore of Livermore,
who stated,"I pray that if even one person can't afford to go to school
due to bus fare, we come to realize that wherever we live in Alameda
County, we are all part of the problem or part of the solution."

Three East Bay mayors Jerry Thorne (Pleasanton), John Marchand
(Livermore) and Tim Sbranti (Dublin) were all asked about whether they
supported the proposed transportation measure. Thorne stated, "Yes,
para-transit, better public transit and immigration reform. I have been
of the opinion that despite our differing opinions, people of good will
can find common ground on these things."

Marchand stated,"I've been working on these issues for over the past 4
years. It's about solidarity. There were many concerned since the last
time, there were proposals to bring BART to Livermore.

Sbranti said,"When it comes to these measures, I think of the 'BBs',
being better BART, better buses, and better business for all of us."

Also at the meeting Genesis mourned the loss of all who have lost their
lives due to gun violence, especially the youth. This morning, 3
people, including a 15-year old girl were victims of gun violence.

"We believe that giving opportunities to youth is THE anti-violence
tactic that the region should support," The Reverend Scott Denman,
Clergy Co-Chair of Genesis and Rector of St. John's Church Oakland
stated,"We are asking all to 'back up our youth' so we can give
alternatives, stop the violence and provide hope to our young people."

Erin Tolva, RN of Oakland, stated,"I hope that this gets some traction.
It's time that progressive churches and congregations got involved in
the political process. All the attention is focused on the right-wing
and conservative churches, even though we are no less Christian. I'm
tired of the right-wing churches dominating the media, when many
churches and congregations are liberal and progressive. We just don't
make enough noise."

Members of San Francisco-based Pace.Core came to the event to show
support and solidarity. Gordon N. of Lincoln High School stated, "The
event was very diverse and holy, and very informative..." Nora M. of
City College of San Francisco said,"I really enjoyed the diversity of
all the people and the communities assembled, not just by skin color
and viewpoints. It was very educational!" Reverend Duhart of the First
Unitarian Church of Oakland stated,"If justice flows like the waters of
a river, then it must be true that the water touches us all..."

Michelle Pariset of Sacramento stated,"I think the event had a lot of
energy and people dedicated to helping each other. Mary Lim-Lampe did a
great job of organizing so many different groups and people and
bringing them together..."